Hey all, I’ve been planning an Amtrak trip across the US via sleeper car and it got me thinking, I’ve only ever seen a Norwegian sleeper car. So I have come to ask those who have done overnight train trips, have you used a sleeper car and what are they like on the various European rail services?

29 comments

  1. My experiences are only positive; the beds are as you expect train beds to be, but other than that, everything else is good. I’ve always been met by clean linens and a small breakfast included in price. I’ve used overnight trains _primarily_ in Germany, headed to Vienna, but I’ve also tried Swedish, Finnish, Austrian, French and Italian overnight trains. Every experience has been good; nothing to write home about, but just functional and nice, as it should be.

  2. There’s no sleeper trains in Ireland as far as I know. Trains stop operating around 9pm

  3. I used both Hungarian and Austrian sleeper and couchette cars. Hungarian couchette cars are superior (made in Spain by CAF in the 1990’s, and even me, with my height of 190 cm can fit on any bed). I don’t have experience with the Hungarian sleepers by CAF, only the rented cars from Slovakia. Those are still really good and comfortable.

    The Austrian couchette cars (found on Hungarian night trains as well, except the Wiener Walzer and the Kalman Imre to Zurich and Munich respectively) are terrible. Bad air conditioning, very short bunk beds, I can’t fit on them unless it’s the top bunk where I can stretch my legs to the overhead luggage compartment. Though, if you’re shorter than 180 cm, it’s fine.

    When I go to Berlin, I almost always use night trains, because they’re way better than flying.

    I took the night train to Munich once, it was really comfortable, but I was catching a flight in the morning and that train is not the most reliable with significant delays. I couldn’t sleep from 1 AM until maybe 4 AM, when I was certain the train will depart from Salzburg on time. I was awake because I was constantly watching the train radar to see if I have to take a local train for the final leg or not. The Kalman Imre has through cars from Venice, Zagreb and Rijeka that often arrive late to Salzburg, where the cars are added to the train. And I took that train from Vienna to Budapest in the morning a couple of times. Terrible. I hate it. Often has a delay of more than 1 hour.

  4. I’ve been in one travelling from southern Finland to Lapland a couple of times, but not in like 15 years. From what I recall, it was fairly pleasant. Not like Orient Express from Poirot style velvet curtains and shit, but not a dump either.

  5. I’ve been on a few: one from Lisbon to Madrid, one from Bucharest to Chisinau and a couple in India (ok I know that’s not Europe but I included it anyway).

    The only one out of those where I didn’t get a good night’s sleep was on the Bucharest to Chisinau one – there’s a change in gauge at the Romania/Moldova border and the gauge changing process is long and *extremely* loud, also border police wake you up to check your passports, plus it was the middle of summer and there wasn’t any ventilation. It’s a great experience being on an old Soviet train though I guess.

    Otherwise, can’t fault it – beds are comfy and you sleep well. Frankly that’s all I care about. The only issue is that sometimes they can be more expensive than just taking a normal train and then staying in a cheap hostel for a night.

  6. The Caledonian sleeper is pretty nice, it is quite expensive though.

    I have only been to London on it and it was very comfortable.

  7. I’ve been on sleeper trains at least two nights per year for the last 8 years or so, mostly on the sleeping car with just one night in the seats and 2 in a couchette (plus 2 nights in Ukraine where sleepers are different). The beds themselves are usually fine. Couchette wasn’t the best though as they didn’t have air conditioning and you share with quite a few people. Not sure how it’s like in the US but in Europe most countries allow sharing with strangers (I know the UK doesn’t and Italy didn’t because of Covid).

    Where things tend to differ a lot more is the food. Only on British sleepers I’ve found a restaurant/bar/buffet to actually have a meal in the evening. So check and see if you need to bring some food and drink with you. With the Italian sleepers to Sicily you get lucky as they have a bar in the rail ferry. And the breakfast varies quite a bit, too. Goes something like Caledonian Sleeper (UK) > Night Riviera (also UK) > Nightjet (Austria)/Citynightline (used to be the German trains) > Italy/Croatia/Poland > Ukraine (no breakfast). The British sleepers actually have hot breakfasts, Austria has a menu where you can choose 6 items for free. And the other countries you only get something like a 7 days croissant which is like a prepackaged croissant with a filling.

    The night is usually fine, just try and choose your journeys wisely. As in avoid journeys that are too short, have a border in the middle of the night, …. And if you get a seat selection tool choose a place away from the bogies. Ear plugs help as well, got myself custom earplugs last year from the audiologist. Already used them on four nights and they’re so much better than the cheap ones you get for free.

  8. I sometimes use the Austrian railways’ overnight train from Vienna to Rome. It’s really nice.

  9. Yes I have used the ÖBB nightlines several times – south to Florenz and Venice, west to Zürich and north to Brussels. The experience differs a bit on how much money you are willing to spend – there are 6-people, 4-people and 2-people compartmens available.

    I like the relaxed way of travelling – boarding in the evening, and then waking up at my new destination, having a small breakfest in the train and departing in the city center. Beats weaking up early to drive out of town to an airport and arriving out of town in a different airport.

  10. I’ve never used it myself but we have the Caledonian Sleeper train here in Scotland.

  11. I’ve never seen a car on a passenger train and I don’t think sleeper cars are any more likely to appear there. The sleeper car community generally doesn’t like public transit either.

  12. I did the [Lusitania Express](https://www.cp.pt/passageiros/en/how-to-travel/lusitania) some years ago. It was a fantastic experience. Made the trip in a reserved cabinet with seats that transform into beds. Very comfortable for two adults. I guess that must be enought for a couple with two kids. It had private bathroom with shower. Can’t wait to repeat.

    I know there is one similar service from Lisbon to Paris (and vice-versa). The book Night Train to Lisbon (and movie adapted from it) has its name from this.

  13. There are only two sleeper trains left in the UK:

    * The [Caledonian Sleeper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caledonian_Sleeper) which runs from London to various Scottish cities, including destinations like Inverness and Aberdeen in the Highlands.

    * The [Night Riviera](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Riviera) which runs from London to Penzance in Cornwall.

    The Caledonian Sleeper was recently upgraded with brand new [sleeper cars](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0f/CAF_mk5_sleeper_coach.jpg/1280px-CAF_mk5_sleeper_coach.jpg), including some with [double beds](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/12/Caledonian_Sleeper_Mk5_suite.jpg/1280px-Caledonian_Sleeper_Mk5_suite.jpg) (a first on UK sleeper trains), and keycard locks on cabin doors.

    The Night Riviera uses [older cars](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/69/Long_Rock_Sidings_-_GWR_SLEP_10612.JPG) from the 1970s, but heavily refurbished. Basically there’s a choice of a two-berth cabin with [bunk beds](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Inside_GWR_Mark_3_SLEP_10616_(accessible_berth).JPG) or a [single bed](https://transportingcities.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/single-sleeper-cabin-on-gwr-night-riviera.jpg?w=900). LIke on Amtrak Roomettes the top bunk is folded away out of sight.

    Both trains have bar cars and a few seated passenger cars.

  14. I haven’t took a train in a long time but i know belgium used to have some sleeper car trains they looked pretty old tho even then so i don’t know if we still do.

  15. We have sleepers on long train routes like Bucharest to Cluj, Timișoara, Oradea, Suceava. I’ve taken them many times. They’re like 120 lei (about 25 euro) a ticket (though prices are set to go up this year). They’re better than you expect, but not amazing. I can get sleep like 80% as good as a normal night but I’m a very heavy sleeper. Sometimes it feels like the movement rocks you to sleep. I’ve never had them be too hot in summer, but it’s happened for the AC to be so strong I’d have to wake up and turn it off.

    There’s 3 types of carriages, with 6, 4 and 2 beds, though in Covid times they’d only sell 2/3 of the tickets.

    Each carriage has a conductor who brings you clean bed linen when you get on, and can also wake you up in time for your stop. They have a list of who’s in the carriage and where they’re getting off.

  16. I have used sleepes cars in Italy and from Austria to Poland and really can’t complain.

    In Italy, I experienced two types: one was more on the fancy side. It had two beds with duvets that could be stowed away for the day and the beds flipped up along the compartment’s wall. They had some art-nouveau artwork on the downside so they looked pretty when flipped up. There were benches underneath to sit on them. The breakfast was as you would expect in Italy if it had to be a simple one: watery orange juice and hardtack bread, a little bun with jam and coffee. All not very good, except for the coffee. But to arrive in Naples at sunrise after going to bed somewhere behind the Alps is well worth it. Staff was always very friendly.

    The other type were couchettes for six people, like bunk beds. Simple beds and a simple sheet and a cushion, a little light, some place to put your stuff. Not super comfortable, but alright and clean. I don’t remember breakfast.

    This is the same type I had on the train to Poland. But there, I believe the sheets were woolen, not linen or cotton.

    It was all like taking the train normally, but instead of a seat you had a bed.

    It gets a bit hot and steamy when there are many people in a comparatively small compartment. You want to have the window open, but then it quite noisey, especially when you’re at some station where some wagons get rearranged for different destinations. And it’s a bit shakey.

  17. In recent years in Europe I’ve only used the Austrian ones, which cover quite a lot of central Europe (even coming as far as up here to Amsterdam).

    The 4-bed version is okay if you get the top bunk so you can feel at least a little bit of privacy, and have more room for your legs. It’s not great sleep but it’s much better than slouching in a reclining seat. I don’t mind doing it when the price and schedule work out, and I do feel less guilt than flying.

  18. Sleeper trains have never really appealed to me because part of the enjoyment of train travel is seeing the scenery go by, and I feel like I would be missing out if I was asleep. I’ve done plenty of train travel through Europe with Interrail (see eurail for non-Europeans), but I’ve always stayed in hostels/hotels/airbnbs, etc.

  20. I have only used one, from Stockholm to Kiruna, both in Sweden. All around a very good experience. The bed was pretty confortable (for a train), the views really cool and the people in the train were very friendly and we even found a couple of swedes that spoke Spanish and shared a bottle of wine with us. It was a great trip, specially compared to my inter rail trip at 18 where we use to sleep on regular trains and wake up freezing in the morning.

  21. I’ve taken sleeper trains in Russia where sleeper trains together with planes are still the main way to get around the country. They’re not all identical but on the route I know it looks like this:

    There’s several price grades, but it’s all very affordable from a European perspective.

    One gets you a bed in a cabin with 4 people (2 times 2 on top of each other), stowing space and a desk. Service sells tea, coffee, meals. Similar to plane food. That’s a купейный вагон and it [looks like this](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Druzhba-train-Omsk-Karaganda-7746.jpg). Here’s a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jUR8RZWXHY).

    That used to be the fancy one, but more fancy ones exist nowadays on some routes. With [two beds](https://rail.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/rzd-transeuropean-express-berlin-paris-night-train-4.jpg) or even just a [single one](https://rail.cc/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/rzd-transeuropean-express-berlin-paris-night-train-6.jpg).

    The cheaper option is getting a bunk bed on a плацкартный вагон that looks like an old-style dorm. It used to be possible to overbook those so you had to think about hot bunking. [A very communal experience!](https://avatars.mds.yandex.net/get-zen_doc/1721884/pub_5e15b14f3639e600b0d12c1c_5e15bb4caad43600ae412c22/scale_2400) But modern platskart can be a lot nicer.

    They also didn’t use to have air conditioning. They have now but it doesn’t work great, so it gets hot easily. I’ve never gotten cold, though.

    There’s 1-2 bathrooms per car. A lot of people want to shave and brush their teeth in the morning so it pays to get up early.

  22. They exist in most countries and are usually more or less fine, there’s usually various options from shared to private rooms, just depending on how much you want to pay.

    I’m a cheap pos so I always just opted for regular seats (which are usually quite comfortable, large and reclinable) and slept there, but I’m also used to sleeping in busses and planes and don’t have an issue sleeping on chairs.

  24. I’ve used
    – Russian (the one from Berlin to Minsk and beyond that)
    – Nightjet
    – Czech (?)

    and I can tell you they’re quite nice. Very spacious although you still clearly notice that you’re on a train. The service is nice and they are much less hassle to use than aeroplanes I find

  25. ÖBB night trains are pretty good. I’m not that tall so the shorter beds don’t bother me, and I’m fine with a little rumbling and so on.

    They are expensive though, if you want privacy. For the price of a private room on a night train I could fly the same length three or four times usually. But flying isn’t an option for me.

    If you don’t need a private compartment, a couchette berth is pretty inexpensive.

    Most (mainland) European operators I’ve used have two types of accomodation.

    A sleeper car with typically 2-3 berths on top of each other, with fairly comfortable beds, bedding provided, beds are often made by staff. Breakfast is often included. Typically there is a sink in the brth, some have on-suite bathrooms, usually even with a shower. That’s the super expensive option.

    The cheap option are couchette cars with basic bunks, usually 4-6 in a compartment. Bedding is provided but you have to make the bed yourself. Breakfast is sometimes provided but not always. Bathrooms and (usually) showers are available but shared with the entire car.

    Very long distance trains often have dining cars, the ones just going overnight usually don’t. Lounge and observation cars are unfortunately very uncommon. From what I’ve heard about the Amtrak trains these seem awesome.

    Services where you can take your car with you have also fallen out of fashion. I think the ÖBB is one of the last operators who has a few of those.

  26. I know they exist here, but I’ve only ever heard of those in other countries. Never seen one in my life either.

  27. I love sleeper trains and am glad they are having a kind of renaissance.

    I’ve traveled to Italy some years ago on an Austrian sleeper train, we gto on in München and got out in Rome. Very comfortable but not exactly cheap, we had our own room. In the past we often did Arnhem to Zürich by sleeper, but that service was neglected more and more, in the end the carriages had no working locks which is not pleasant. They have been taken over by the Austrians so they should be better now.Also took a sleeper from Zürich to Venice once. In 2019 we did Yekaterinburg-Kazan-Moscow by sleeper, Russian sleeper trains are great.

    Long ago we did Beijing to East Berlin by sleeper train, wonderful trip, this was when the Soviet Union still existed.

  28. There is the Caledonian sleeper between London and Scotland, never used it but its apparently very nice (but also very expensive)

  29. I;ve used loads. Very positive experience. In fact it is a way of saving hotel expenses. I once organised a trip round Europe and deliberately made the distance between locations long enough to make them overnight journeys.

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